Agamyxis
Home
Agamyxis is focused on the preclinical testing of drug candidates that inhibit Notch pathway activation/γ-secretase for the treatment of intestinal neoplastic disease and Barrett’s Esophagus.
Notch receptors are large trans-membrane proteins that regulate a number of cellular properties important in cancer. Once activated, Notch receptors are cleaved by the γ-secretase protease complex to release a cytoplasmic domain fragment that translocates to the nucleus to induce expression of genes involved in cell growth, differentiation, and cell survival.
Our research has shown that in animal models, pharmacological blocking of intestinal Notch signaling by γ-secretase inhibitors results in the conversion of proliferative adenoma cells into post-mitotic Goblet cells, implying that γ–secretase inhibitors could be used in the treatment of intestinal adenomas and adenocarcinomas.
Many γ-secretase inhibitors of diverse chemical origins have been developed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Agamyxis intends to analyze these compounds as potential treatments for intestinal neoplasia and Barrett’s Esophagus.
Agamyxis is located in the Hubrecht Laboratory in Utrecht, The Netherlands, adjacent to the laboratories of prof. dr. J. C. Clevers, the Chief Scientific Officer of Agamyxs.